Montgomery County Jail inmate tests positive for Hepatitis A

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and its inmate medical provider Correct Care Solutions, along with the assistance of the Montgomery County Health Department and Tennessee Health Department, administered 610 hepatitis A vaccines to inmates and jail deputies on Saturday.

The need to vaccinate the inmates and jail employees was to prevent an outbreak after an inmate tested positive for hepatitis A, according to an MCSO news release. The inmate tested positive on Aug.2 and has since been quarantined and is under medical care. As of Wednesday, no other inmate had tested positive for Hepatitis A.

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver cause by the hepatitis A virus. Those at the highest risk are recreational drug users, the LBGT community and individuals experiencing homelessness.

“It can be a serious and sometimes deadly disease, but the good news is steps can be taken to prevent it," said Joey Smith, Health Department Director. "This includes simply washing your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating and preparing food and also getting the Hepatitis A vaccine."

Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson said it was important to act quickly to prevent Hepatitis A from spreading and that worked.

“This entire process highlights the readiness of our jail staff, our inmate medical provider, and our local and state health departments, who all did a great job addressing this issue,” Fuson said.

For more information on the causes, treatment, and prevention of Hepatitis A visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/dotw/hepatitisa.

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